Manchester (UK), Apr 21 (AFP) Manchester United reached
the Europa League semi-finals for the first time after beating
Anderlecht 2-1 on Thursday, but at the cost of a potentially
serious injury to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The talismanic Swede, 35, had to go off after damaging
his right knee late in the game at Old Trafford and may not
play again this season, while United also lost centre-back
Marcos Rojo.

United prevailed courtesy of an extra-time strike by
Marcus Rashford, which secured a 3-2 aggregate success, after
Henrikh Mkhitaryan's opener was cancelled out by Sofiane
Hanni.

"I don't think they are easy injuries, but I prefer to
wait until all the tests are done and then speak. But the news
is fairly negative I think," United manager Jose Mourinho told
BT Sport.

"It is an important title and we have to keep going.

Today showed how difficult it is. We are not expecting
anything easy in the semi-finals."

The scrappy, sapping victory means Mourinho's side remain
on course to claim the only major trophy missing from the
club's collection.

But the injuries to Ibrahimovic and Rojo could prove
costly, particularly with United having re-energised their
push for a top-four finish in the Premier League by
brilliantly beating Chelsea.

Ibrahimovic's injury occurred late in stoppage time, his
right knee bending the wrong way as he landed following an
aerial challenge in the Anderlecht box, leaving him grimacing
on the deck.

The former Paris Saint-Germain striker, scorer of 28
goals this season, was able to hobble down the tunnel, aided
by medical staff, but United's fans will fear they have seen
the last of him this season.

It cast a shadow over United's evening, but Rashford's
superb 107th-minute strike ensured they took up a place in the
last four.

Star of Sunday's 2-0 win over Chelsea, he notched the
decisive goal by gathering Marouane Fellaini's knock-down,
making space with a sharp Cruyff turn and firing in a low shot
with his left foot.

United first went ahead in the 10th minute after a finely
measured pass from Paul Pogba found Rashford wide on the left.

Rashford's cross was blocked, but the ball came back to
him and he squared it for Mkhitaryan, who drilled a low shot
into the bottom-left corner.

United were on top and it took flying one-handed saves
from visiting goalkeeper Ruben to repel a header from Pogba
and a Jesse Lingard curler.

- Ajax advance -

================

But United then lost Rojo -- hurt as he tried in vain to
halt Frank Acheampong, with Daley Blind taking his place --
and Anderlecht levelled the tie in the 32nd minute.

Youri Tielemans's deflected shot came back off the
crossbar and after a moment's confusion, Hanni put away the
rebound.

United's chances became more clear-cut in the second
half.

Rashford rounded Ruben but knocked the ball too wide
after an error by Dennis Appiah and Ruben thwarted Ibrahimovic
from substitute Fellaini's header.

A corner from Mkhitaryan fell for Pogba on the edge of
the six-yard box, but he skied his volley into the Stretford
End.

Freed by Michael Carrick, Ibrahimovic shanked wastefully
wide.

Teed up by Ibrahimovic's scooped pass, Rashford found the
side-netting.

Elsewhere, Ajax reached their first European semi-final
in 20 years with a 4-3 aggregate win over Schalke after extra
time.

Leon Goretzka and Guido Burgstaller scored in the space
of three second-half minutes to cancel out Ajax's advantage
from the first leg.